Apparatus for timing clockwork-operated mechanical fuses for artillery projectiles



z 2 1927. 1, 5,602 Jan Y A. VARAUD v APPARATUS FOR TIMING CLOCKWORK OPERATED MECHANICAL FUSES FOR ARTILLERY PROJECTILES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 2. 1926 Z l 35 I Q 7 K l ||:.I 1.1%flh I m a rfi i. i F 1 m n. l 1%- 1 1| ll! .ll. .Ft l A Jan. 25,1927. 1,615,602

v APPARATUS FOR TIMING CLOKWORK OPERATED MECHANICAL r'usrzs FOR ARTILLERY PROJEC'IILES Filed June 2. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 25, 1927'.

ANDRE VARAUD, or GENEVA, SWITZERLAND.

APPARATUS FOR TIMING. CLO('JK'W'OJFtKfOil?ERAIIEI) MEQHAINICAL FUSES FOR ARTIL- LERY PROJECTILES.'

Application filed June 2, 1926, Serial No.

The object of the invention is an apparatus for timing the clockwork operated mechanical fuses for artillery projectiles of the type as described in the United States patent application Serial No. 712,960 and in which the winding of the driving spring of the clockwork and the regulation of the time for exploding the projectile is effected simultaneously by turning a key arranged in the axis of the point of the fuse by means of a timing apparatus, and of the type in which said key is adapted to describe several revolutions in order to obtain the maxi-. mum duration of the working of the fuse.

This apparatus, which may be designed to either time each projectile individually or for timing simultaneously several of them, is characterized the fact, that it embodies at least a rotary timing member that is to say for turning a key, rotating a screw nut the course of which on an externally threaded memberrigidly fixed to the fuse body during the timing operation, is limited on the one hand by a stop carried by said threaded member, and on the other hand by a stop fixed rigidly on an internally threaded member adapted to cooperate with a threaded portion of the externally threaded member, the relative angular displacement of the two members being adjustable for a fraction of a rotation with regard to a helicoidal graduation provided on one of them and means being provided for blocking said two members together in any predetermined adjusting position.

The drawing shows by way ofexample a working form of an apparatus adapted for timing each projectile individually, one after the other.

Fig. 1 is an elevation showing the nut and also the operating handle arrested or blocked in the position "O of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is an axial section made on the line 11-11 of Fig. 1 and showing the apparatus in the same position as in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 isalso an axial section on the line IIII showing the apparatus adapted to a fuse and adjusted for effecting the setting of the same for the maximum time available.

It is seen in the drawing that the winding and the simultaneous regulating key A of a fuse A is rigidly connected by means of a tenon 0 with a shaft or of the operating handle 6 Whenever the tube body at of the apparatus is angularly arrested by means 113,167, and in Switzerland June 3, 1925.

of a tenon A "on the fuse A as shown in Fig. In this manner it is possible to di rectly rotate the key A by means of the handle I).

The timing shaft (1- is provided with a square portion (4 carrying a drum f having a slit 9 cooperating with a stop 71., projecting from the periphery of the nut z referred to in the claims. Owing to this arrangement, the nut is screwed or unscrewed from a threaded portion is ofthe body cl whenever the handle b is operated;

The possible angular displacement of this nut i,which is zero as represented in Figs. 1 and 52,is limited on the one hand by the fixed stop Z rigidly connected with the body (Z when a stop m projecting fromthe top face of the nut 2' comes to strike against stop Z, and on the other hand by an adjustable stop n when a second stop 0 projecting laterally from the bottom .of the nut comes to meet the former stop. The stop a is arranged on a threaded and split ring 9, the position of which on a second threaded por-. tion 7-2 of the body cl may be adjusted with regard to a helicoidal -graduation r marked. on the body d. This ring 10'. may be arrested in whatever predetermined adjusting position by means of a screw key s so that the movable stop a is fixed to the body (Z of the apparatus.

The handle I) is frictionally mounted on the shaft 4 in order to prevent that the stops at and 0 may become subjected to too violent shocks ifpat the endrof the timing operation, too. strong an impulse is given to said handle.

The divisions of the graduation may either refer to seconds and fractions of seconds indicating the time in which the explosion of the projectile is eli'ected, or to kilometers and meters indicating the range of the firing.

The apparatus described works as follows:

If the movable members of the apparatus are in their arrested position as represented in the Figs. 1 and 2, the apparatus will first have to be adjusted by unscrewing the key 8 and by rotating the ring 10 by hand until the index provided on said ring comes opposite the predetermined division of the helicoidal graduation 1'. Thereupon the key 8 is again screwed tight in order to immobilize the adjustable stop a in its regulating position. Now the apparatu is ready for timing a single projectile or a number of them one after the other according to the predetermined time interval.

Each one of these operations for timing a fuse is composed as follows:

1. Fixing of the apparatus on the fuse A in such a manner that any angular displacement of the body (Z is prevented by thetenon A and that the tenon c enters in the slit ofthe key A.

2. The handle is rotated until the lower stop of the nut strikes against the adjustable stop a.

3. The apparatus is withdrawn from the timed projectile.

4. The handle is returned in the opposite direction in order to bring the top stop m of the nut to bear against the fixed stop 2'.

The fixed body of the apparatus might be constituted by a member rigidly connected with the split ring 79. In this case the adjusting of the apparatus would be effected by rotating the tubular body (Z and the stop Z would then become the adjustable stop. The fixed stop would be constitut d by the stop n and the timing operation would remain the same as in the example described above.

Several timing shafts a might be provided which are operated by meansof bevelled gears and a single handle 6 so as to allow to simultaneously adjust a plurality of projectiles for the same time interval to explosion.

It would finally be possible to provide means, such as a spring, in order to automatically return the handle b in its initial position after each complete timing operation or to provide a safety device preventing the beginning of a new timing operation if it has been neglected to return the handle by hand in its initial position.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for timing clockwork operated mechanical fuses for artillery projectiles, fuses of the type in which a key, arranged in the point of the fuse when being turned by means of a timing apparatus, is adapted to simultaneously wind the driving spring of the clockwork and to regulate the time of the explosion of the projectile, and further of the type in which said key may be made to perform several revolutions in order to effect the timing'for the maximum duration of the working of the fuse, said i fuse comprising a rotary member for timing arranged in such a manner as to rotate when being turned, a nut whose course on an externally threaded member is limited on the one hand ly a stopcarried by said threaded member and on the other partby a stop fixed to an internally threaded member adapted to cooperate with said internally threaded member which, during the operation of timing the fuse, is rigidly connected with the fuse body, the arrangement being such that the rotary angular displacement of the two threaded members may be adjusted for a fraction of a turn with regard to a helicoidal graduation provided on one of the said threaded members, and means being at disposal for rigidly uniting and arresting these two threaded members in their predetermined regulating position.

2. Apparatus as per claim 1 in which the internally threaded member is constituted by a split ring adapted to be immobilized by a screw key in the manner of a circular clamp arranged on the second threaded portion of an externally threaded member constituting the body of the apparatus.

3. Apparatus as per claim 1 in which the internally threaded member is constituted by a split ring adapted to be immobilized by a screw key in the manner of a circular clamp arranged on the second threaded portion of an externally threaded member constituting the body of the apparatus, and in which each rotary member for timing is fixed rigidly to a drum provided with a slit in which a stop projecting from the periphery of the nut is adapted to become operative.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ANDRE VARAUD. 

